Reed sounder



y 5, 1956 e. s. LAWSON REED SOUNDER Filed July 18, 1952 INVENTOR. GEORGE S. LAWSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent lice REED SOUNDER George S. Lawson, Perry, Ohio, assignor to C. M. Penney Co., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 18, 1952, Serial No. 299,595

2 Claims. (Cl. 46-117) A primary object of the invention is to provide a 'de- 1 vice of the character described which is of extremely simple construction, consisting of a minimum number of easily assembled parts, and which device, after assembly, can be easily and quickly attached to a hollow rubber doll or the like, without the use of tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which produces a sound which is intermittent from the time that the doll is squeezed until it is released and reassumes its original condition, thereby simulating the inhalation and exhalation of a baby when crying.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, which consists of parts which are rust-proof and cannot harm a child, even if placed in the mouth.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having a reed incorporated therein which is so concealed in the device as to be inaccessible, so that it cannot be damaged.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description. In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a view illustrating the incorporation of the device in a hollow rubber doll;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the device;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the device, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the device, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the device, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the soundcreating device will be seen to comprise a body of generally conical external appearance consisting of two complementary similar portions 1 and 2 molded of a plastic or other suitable material and united to each other across a diametral plane, indicated at 3, as by means of a plastic adhesive, such, for example, as acetone.

The parts 1 and 2, when thus assembled provide an annular groove or recess 4, the function of which will presently be described.

Each of the parts 1 and 2 is so molded as to provide therein a rectangular cavity or recess 5 which decreases in depth longitudinally in both directions from a substantially central line or point 6, so that when the parts are joined, these cavities conjointly form a voice, tone, or sound box 7.

Each of the parts 1 and 2 is also so molded as to provide recesses 8, of approximately twice the width of the box 7, but each increasing in depth longitudinally from v l ateuted. May 1 5,. 1956 the line 6, so that when'the parts are joined, these -recesses conjointly form reed compartments '9, which extend to the ends of the device.

Disposed Within these reed compartments 9 is a reed 10, which extends substantially the full length of the device, and decreases in width longitudinally in both directions from the line 6. The reed 10 is preferably made from a thin piece of metal, such ascopper shim stock. In order to facilitate assembly of the device, the part 1 is provided with .a pair of transversely spaced dowel pins 11, which are molded integrally with the part 1 and extend into dowel holes or openings 12 in the part 2. These dowel pins 11 also extend through recesses 13 in the sides of the reed, thereby facilitating placement ofthe reed 10 in the device prior to uniting parts 1 and 2, and also preventing displacementof the reed from the device at any time.

The device, as thus described, is adapted to be attached to a hollow rubber object, such as the doll 14 in Fig. 1. For this purpose, the doll 14 has a small circular opening 15 in its back, which opening is a trifle smaller than the diameter of the smaller end 16 of the sound-creating device.

The smaller end 16 of the device is inserted into the opening 15 and the device is pushed inwardly into the doll until it reaches the position shown in Fig. l, at which position, the rubber surrounding the opening 15 will reassume its unstretched condition and enter the annular groove or recess 4 of the device, the doll 14 thereby retaining the device against displacement.

With the device thus assembled with the doll, when the doll is squeezed, the air within the doll will pass out through the device, causing the reed 10 to vibrate, and this vibration, amplified by the sound chamber 7, produces a sound or noise similar to that produced by a baby when crying. When the pressure on the doll is released, air will enter the doll through the larger end of the device and produce the same sound. In other words, the sound will be intermittent from the time that the doll is squeezed until it is released and reassumes its normal condition, thereby simulating the inhalation and exhalation of a baby when crying.

Other advantages of the device include the following:

(a) The parts, being made of plastic and copper, are rust proof, and cannot harm a child, even if placed in the mouth.

(b) The reed is completely concealed in the device and is virtually inaccessible, so that it cannot be damaged.

(0) The construction of the reed compartments are such as to permit both ends of the reed to vibrate.

(d) The longitudinal tapering in width of the reed in both directions from the line 6 avoids impingement of the reed with the parts 1 and 2 of the device during vibration, so that the reed cannot stick. This also permits easier assembly of the device.

(e) The device consists of only three basic parts, which are easy to assemble and can be assembled without the use of extraneous fastening devices.

(f) The conical form of the device permits it to be quickly and easily assembled with a doll or other hollow rubber object, and this assembly is elfected without the use of adhesives or other fastening devices, and without the use of tools.

(g) The provision of the voice box or amplifying chamber 7 greatly increases the effectiveness or quality of the sound.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device-of the character described, comprising complementary parts of similar construction joined to each other across a diametral plane, said parts molded to conjointly provide reed compartments increasing in depth from the center of the device to the ends thereof, each part having an amplifying chamber extending longitudinally of the device and communicating with said reed compartments, each of said amplifying chambers decreasing in depth in both directions longitudinally from the center of the device, and a single reed extending across said amplifying chambers and into said reed com partments, said parts being provided respectively with dowel pins and dowel openings to receive said pins, said reed being provided with recesses in its sides through which said dowel pins pass to retain said reed against longitudinal displacement from said device.

2. A sound-creating device comprising a body of generally conical external appearance consisting of two complementary similar portions molded of a plastic or other suitable material and united to each other across a di'ametral plane, said portions as thus assembled providing an 'annulargroove or recess adjacent the base of the cone, said portions being molded to provide reed com- 1 device to the ends thereof, each part having an amplifying chamber extending longitudinally of the device and communicating with said reed compartments, but terminating short of the ends of the device, each of said amplifying chambers decreasing in depth in both directions longitudinally from the center of the device, and a single reed extending across said amplifying chambers and into said reed compartments, both ends of the reed being free to vibrate in planes transverse to said diametral plane, said portions being provided respectively with dowel pins and dowel openings to receive said pins, said reed being provided with recesses in its sides through which said dowel pins extend to retain said reed against longitudinal displacement from said device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 827,819 Reynolds Aug. 7, 1906 1,175,518 Hansen Mar. 14, 1916 1,187,838 Hughes June 20, 1916 1,649,722 Munro Nov, 15, 1927 2,410,874 Greenberg et al Nov. 12, 1946 

